Power outage for storm-damaged communities could last days
HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Businesses were ripped apart and communities left in shambles from strong early morning storms across parts of the viewing area. The storms were so bad that one energy provider says some parts of Montgomery, Walker and Grimes counties could be without power for a couple of days.
Entergy says at the peak of the storm, more than 40,000 customers had lost power. By the mid-afternoon, that number had dropped to just over 22,500, but it could take a while before it goes back down to zero.
"The storms that came through were particularly strong, including straight-line winds," said Vernon Pierce, customer service vice president for Entergy Texas. "We've seen a lot of very serious damage with trees knocked into our facilities causing poles and power lines to come down."
Entergy says customers in Conroe, Huntsville and Navasota, could be without power until noon Wednesday. Power in the Cleveland area is expected to be restored by 10pm Tuesday, while those in the Beaumont and Orange areas could see their electricity working by 10pm tonight. Check out the company's power outage map: http://www.etrviewoutage.com/external/tx.aspx
The damage left behind from the Monday morning storms speaks louder than the thunder and rain.
We visited a destroyed screen printing store near Anderson, Texas, that has been around since 1962. The owner was in tears, unable to even explain what he's going to do next.
So many people there lost their barns. Their yards are in ruins.
The good news, of course, is that we have not heard of any injuries, but this was something those who live here will never forget.
"I mean a big roar. The houses were shaking, both sides of his house," said Ricky Kimich, whose home was damaged in the storm.
And of course, even though all this damage happened within just minutes, it will take months to clean up from it.
Not far from Anderson, the storms did a number on the city of Navasota. We found trees ripped out of the ground and the doors blown off the fire station.
Navasota canceled classes because of widespread power outages caused by the storm. Not far from there, Livingston ISD and Huntsville ISD also canceled classes. Several other districts delayed school start times Monday.
Entery says some of the most storm-damaged parts of including
